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AUTOMATIC VBNDING APPARATUS.

No. 422,326. Papented Peb. 25, 1890.

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P. VILLIBRS-STEAD & E.l B.. HEDGMAN. AUTOMATIC VENDTNG APPARATUS.

No. 422,326.4 l I Patented Feb. 25, 1890.

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A1171; myrLEys- UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANK VILLIERS-,STEAD AND ELVVARD R. HEDGMAN, OF LONDON, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC VEN DING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,326, dated February 25, 1890. Application tiled September 4, 1888. Serial No. 284,556. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK VILLIERS- STEAD and ELWARD RADEORD I-IEDGMAN, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, county of Middlesex, England,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates generically to that 1o class of apparatus which are constructed to form receptacles or repositories for merchandise, and which are provided with mechanism capable of being operated by means of coins of certain weights, and which when so operated will automatically deliver to the depositor one or more packages or samples of the merchandise deposited within the apparatus.

The object of our present invention is to construct an apparatus which will have a 2o wider application than any apparatus of a similar nature now upon the market, and so construct and arrange it as that a single coin of the proper denomination will cause the discharge of the article purchased, or an accu- ,25 mulation of coins of smaller denomination whose total value is the same as that of the proper coin will also cause the machine to operate and cause the merchandise to be delivered in the same manner after the proper 3o amount has been deposited.

Our invention consists in a suitable series of balancing devices connected by means of an electrical conductor to an electro-magnet, which, when excited by the oscillation of the 3 5 balancing devices,operates an armature which forms a part of an escapement attached to the drawer containing the merchandise, so that the disengagement of the opposing racks, hereinafter particularly described, will permit 4c the merchandise drawer to be thrust outwardly by means of a suitable spring. The opposing racks constitute the escapement, whichs regulated by and vdepends upon the extent and duration of the electric current,

l which in turn depends upon the durationlv of the different contacts made by the tipping movements of the various coin-receiving trays. Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of our improved apparatus or machine, the front part of the box or casing being removed to show the interior working parts. Fig. 2 is a plan View with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. lis a detail section, A5 5 on a larger scale, through the various balancing devices.

In the drawings, 1 is a box or casing provided with a door 2, hinged at the bottom by means of hinges 3 to the floor of casing l, as 6o shown in Fig. 3. Fig. l shows this portion removed for the purpose of exposing the working parts. It is, however, normally closed and affords means for obtaining access when open to the money-compartment for the purpose of removing the coin deposited within the apparatus from time to time. It may be locked and secured in any suitable manner.

Upon the loorof the box or casing-1 aresecured two upright plates 4, made preferably 7o of metal, which, in connection with block 5 at the rear of the apparatus, serve to support a series of oscillating or pivoted trays so constructed, distributed, and adjusted as that they will operate automatically according to the numbeigquality, and weight of the coin or coins dropped upon them and in such a manner as that they will, through the medium of the electric conductor above referred to, effect the liberation of the merchandise- 8o drawer only after the total amount of money inserted equals the amount which the notice on the apparatus calls for.

The apparatus we are about to describe, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is constructed so as to deliver the package of merchandise or samples upon the introduction in the slot 6 of a silver ten-cent piece. This denomination of moneyis of such a weight and size as that it will slip over all 9o of the intervening and intermediate pivoted trays and will operate to depress the last and lowest one of the series, and thereby establisli an electrical connection with the escapement, which will, through the medium of suitable mechanism, hereinafter described, pern mit the merchandise-containing drawer to be thrust outwardly, thus exposing and rendering accessible to the purchaser the article paid for; but our improved apparatus is also 10o adaptedto operate it', instead of a ten-cent piece, other and smaller denomination of coin are dropped in the slot G, so long 'as the correcttotal of ten cents is eventually deposited. The apparatus will not operate unless exactly the correct amount is deposited. The appararatus will work if two live-cent nickels are dropped in the slot, and it will also operate it one live-cent piece and `live one-cent pieces are deposited; or in lieu of any of these it will also operate if ten one-cent pieces are deposited. lVe will describe its operation when two five-cent nickels are successively deposited.

Each coin in dropping through the slot G falls into thechute or conduit 7, constructed preferably in a sinuous or irregular form, as shown in Fig. l, and after reaching the lower end-of said chute or conduit it drops onto the topmost tray S. The tray 8 is open in its upper portion and terminates at its lower end in a hopper or funnel-shaped construction 9. It is hung upon lugs or shoulders l0 of the plates by means of an arm ll, which extends inwardly and downwardly from the tray S. The arm ll is attached to a bar l2, which bar is provided at its lower end with an adj ustable counterbalaneilig-weight13. These parts are all hung from the pivots 1l in the upwardly-extending lugs or shoulders lO. Attached to the bar l2 is also a contact-plate l5, and if the coin is of suitable size to depress the balance-tray S (to wit, a live-cent nickel) the parts will all turn upon the aforesaid pivot and the contact-plate l5 will be thrown in connection with the contactbutton lli upon the platinized-steel springplate l?. The spring-plate, being attached by means of a binding-screw 1S to the post lf), w1ll establish an electrical connection through the conductor Q0, which is `also attached to `said binding-post by means of binding-screw .tom of the casing l, to the general bindingpost 24, located on the upright plate l of the apparatus. The conductor from there extends to the binding-post 25, and from this point by :means ot' branch conductors to the `binding-posts 26 and 27. This is shown diagrammatically in Fig. l. The other branches of the conductor 2O are attached to the binding-posts 2l, 28, and 29, and are connected to the other general binding-post 30, from which point the conductor exten ds upwardly through the electro-magnet 3l, and from the electromagnet 3l. the conductor returns to the battery 23, thus completin the circuit. \Vhen, therefore, the plate 8 is depressed, as above described, thc swinging contact-plate l5 presses against the button on the platinized springplatc 17, thus closing the circuit and causing an electric current to iiow from the battery through the electric conductor. The electromagnet bccomes'excited and draws the armature 32 toward it. This armature is of considerable length and extends farther forward than the electro-magnets, and is provided with teeth 33 and 33" upon either or both sides. These teeth are so constructed and arranged as that they will interlock with similar teeth upon plates 3l, located upon the upper face of the 1nerchaudise-containing drawer It will be noticed by referring to'liigA that the contact upon the swinging contact-plate l5 is a short one, so that when the contact is made and the electro-magnets excited the armature, being drawn toward them,w ill cause the tooth 33 to be withdrawn from the plate Si upon the merchandise-containing drawer As soon as this takes place the drawer will be thrust outwardly by means of the spring 36, located at the side of said drawer. This spring is adapted to thrust the drawer forward when the armature is withdrawn from the rack. The action being momentary and the contact being a short one, the electric currents will cease to flow (on the lJreaking of the contact) and the armature will be released and will ily back to its normal position by virtue of the spring 37 pulling upon the arm 38 of thel armature 32. It will be seen by referring to Fig. 2 that the armature is formed in thc shape of a bell-crank. At the first movement, however, of the armature, as above described, the tooth 33 being withdrawn from the rack, the merchandisecontaining drawer 35 will be thrust forward, as aforesaid, but will be prevented from a further outward movement owing to the interlocking of the tooth 33 with the tooth upon the rack or plate 341 when the armature is drawn against the electro-magnets. lVhen the armature is released and is traveling back, there is a further sliding movemeut of the merchandisc-containing drawer 35, and the tooth 33 of the armature, instead ot' entering its original position, will be forced to occupy the second depression of the rack 349i. This is the position the parts of the apparatus will occupy after a iive-cent nickel has been deposited by the purchaser, and upon the depositing of a second five-cent nickel the electrica-l connection will be again established and the former operation will be repeated, with the exception that the armature so withdrawn from the rack will permit the merchandisecontaining drawer to be thrust forward to its full outer position, owing to the fact that there are no further teeth upon the rack 34:" to stop the further n1ovement of the box. The merchandise is now accessible to the purchaser, and can beremoved and the drawer returned to its origi` nal position, which being done, the armature will assume its proper place in respect to the racks. lf, however, instead of two tive-cent nickels, the purchaser deposits a ten-cent IOO IIO

piece into the slot (5, the said piece of money will fall through and upon. the tray S; but, not being of su t'ticient weigllt to depress thc same,

will drop through. thc funnel 9 into the pan 39, and from this into the tray att). The tencent piece will not depress this tray, but will fall into thethird or bottom tray 41. This tray, being provided with a very small counterpoise, will be Vdepressed by the ten-cent piece, and will cause a' contact between the swinging contact-plate 15a and the button 16 on the platinized-steel plate 17a. This will establish electrical connection through the apparatus and will cause the armature to be excited and operate, throwing the toot-h of the armature out of contact with the plate and into the tooth of the opposite plate of the rack. The tray 4l, however, will be suiticiently depressed so as to enable the contactplate to swing beyond the button 16, and when the coin is dropped from the tray the said tray will be swung back to its normal position by means of its counterpoise and the Contact will again be established, and the armature will again be withdrawn from the rack, and as no further teeth are provided on the'opposing rack the merchandise-containing drawer will be thrust forward to its full outer position, as above described.

When one-cent pieces are deposited, they will slide over the rst tray 8 and will drop through the pan 39 and into the tray 40. This tray isprovided with a throat or contracted passage 42, which will permit the passage of a ten-cent piece, but will interrupt the progress of one-cent pieces, owing to their being of larger size. The tray 40 is provided with a large counterbalancing-weight 43, which can only be overcome by an accumulation of five one-cent pieces. When the five pieces have been deposited, the tray 40 will tip over, and through the medium of the contact-plate 15b, button` 16, &c., the electrical circuit will be established and the escapement will be operated the same as in the case of a five-cent piece. The trays 8 and 40 are arranged not to tip far enough to break the circuit, as in the case ,with tray 41. The operation can be repeated by depositing iive more one-cent pieces, or a single five-cent nickel may be deposited in lieu thereof. An adjusting-screw 44 is provided for regulating the throw of the armature.

In Fig. 3 we show a device for preventing the insertion of money in the slot 6 if the merchaiidise-drawer is not in the proper position. A lever 45 is suitably hung on a shoulder 46, attached to the frame-work of the apparatus. At its upper end it is provided with a iinger 47, which is adapted to swing over on top of the chute or conduit 7. A spring 48 serves to force the lever upward when it is liberated at its lower end. A spring-plate 49 is secured by means of stud 50 to the frame of the apparatus and extends forwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It is provided about midway of its length with a cam or eccentric plate 51. A pin 52, located upon the merchandise-containing drawer, comes in contact with the cam when the drawer is being pulled out, by this `means bending the said spring outwardly, thus permitting the pin 53 on the lower end of the lever 45 to drop and the is locked in its lower position by means of the pin 53 being held beneath a shoulder 56 on the spriiig-piece. turned, the pin 54 forces the lever 45 up, thus discharging the parts. In case of a tive-cent piece being introduced, the movements of the .partswill not be sufticiently extensive to cause the finger to intervene in the slot. If, however, the inerchandise-drawerhas not been returned to its inner and normal position, the lever 45 will still remain locked in the position which closes the slot, so that the purchaser when depositing a coin can easily withdraw it if all the parts are not in their normal and operative position.

The escapenient device may be niodiiied according to the price of the article vended. It a five-cent article is introduced, the tooth in the plate 34b may be omitted, s0 that the machine will operate by depositing tive cents; or another tooth may be added to this rack when vending a fifteen cent article. The other rack 34 is provided with several teeth and will meet any contingency, so that only one racknamely, 34hhas to be changed.

Having thus described our invention, the following is what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination, in an automatic vending apparatus, of two or more coin-receiving trays pivotally attached to the frame and arranged in series, substantially as shownand described, a merchandise-containing drawer, an escapement arranged in connection with the drawer, means for operating the escapement by electricityfand a suitable conductor between the various coin-receiving trays and the electrical devices.

2. ln an automatic vending apparatus, the combination of a series of pivoted trays arranged substantially as shown and described, adaptedto be operated differentially, according to the coin or coins deposited therein, electrical conductors leading from the said trays, a merchandise-receiving drawer, an escapement, and an electrical device connected to the aforesaid conductors, all the parts being so constructed and arranged as that the merchandise will be issued irrespective of the denominations of the coin provided the proper sum is deposited, substantially as set forth.

When the drawer is re- 1 IOO IIO'

3. In an automatic vending apparatus, the

combination of a coinreceiving tray suitably pivoted, as shown, and having a weighted end, whereby when a coin is deposited on the tray it is depressed and as the coin falls tlieref ro 1n said tray is returned to normal position by its weighted end, a merchandisedrawer, an escapelnent device consisting of one or more racks upon the said drawer7 an armature provided with one or more shoulders or racks and Working in connection with the rack or racks, an electro-magnet for operating the armature, suitable conductors extending from the electro-magnet, andan automatie makeand-break Contact operated solely through the medium of a coin or coins when deposited on said tray, all constructed and adapt-ed to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4f. In an automat-ic Vending apparatus, the combination of a self-returnng ooinreeeiv ing tray having a weighted end and pivoted substantially as shown and described, and

adapted to be depressed by a coin or coins, a contact-plate which swings with the tray, a platinized springplate, Conductors extending from the plate and trays to an electro-magnet, an armature, suitable racks 'with which lalle armature interloeks, and a merchandise-Containing drawer, all adapted to operate substantially as shown and described.

FRANK VILLIERS-STEAD, ELVVARD R. HEDGMAN.

XVitnesses:

JAMES SPRATT, 2l W culling Si., E. C.

WILLIAM MILLER,

ll Great Sutton St., Oleokenwell. 

